Though she would complete her undergrad in Nursing from McMaster University, Afonso always had an interest in capturing the world around her and continued her art's education at the Dundas Valley School of Art, OCAD University, Haliburton School of Art + Design, and completed residencies in Umbria, Italy and Cerèt, France. The subject matter of Afonso's work is the celebration of colour shown in her exploration
of the domestic scene and landscape. It is colour's power to effect mood that works as the driving principle behind Afonso's translation of her life to the canvas.